In a year in which the Pittsburgh Steelers are seemingly going all in trying to compete for a Super Bowl, quite a bit hinges on one specific position group. Not quarterback, wide receiver, defensive line or defensive back. No, things hinge on the young offensive line gelling and becoming what many believe they can be, which is a pretty darn good offensive line, one literally centered around Zach Frazier.
For longtime Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly, who appeared on 93.7 The Fan’s Joe Show with hosts Joe Starkey and Bob Pompeani Wednesday, the position group is being overlooked, especially with a center that he believes will be among the very best in the NFL this season.
“I keep saying it’s about Zach Frazier. He’s an 8-to-10-time Pro Bowler, couple times All-Pro in the making here. Maybe it’ll be this year. He is one of the top three centers in the league,” Kaboly said of Frazier and the Steelers’ offensive line, according to video via The Fan’s YouTube page. “Probably top five centers in the league already.
“I like what Mason McCormick did, and obviously [Isaac] Seumalo is that vet. But Broderick Jones, it’s all linked to him. What he’s able to do on that left side, if he’s able to play…he doesn’t have to play great, but if he just plays above-average, average to above-average, I think this offensive line is being slept on a little bit.”
The pieces are certainly in place for the Steelers as Broderick Jones is flipping back over to the left side for Year 3, while second-year pro Troy Fautanu is slotted in at right tackle again and is drawing rave reviews. On the interior, Zach Frazier has center locked down and looks very promising for the future, while guards Isaac Seumalo and Mason McCormick provide toughness and athleticism, creating quite the intrigue for the offensive line as a whole.
Jones at left tackle and Fautanu at right tackle are unproven though, and there’s still some questions about McCormick at right guard entering Year 2, which has many ranking the Steelers’ offensive line near the bottom of the league entering the 2025 season.
But with Frazier, there are no real questions, especially after he was so good as a rookie, playing as advertised after being a second-round pick coming out of West Virginia. He went on to win the Steelers’ Joe Greene Award as the team’s best rookie, and he also was a first-team Pro Football Writers of America rookie center.
So, the future is very bright with Frazier.
It’s a young offensive line overall under coach Pat Meyer, and if those young pieces take a step forward this season, look out.
“They got a ton of talent,” Kaboly added regarding the offensive line. “I think it all hinges with Broderick Jones. He looks better, he moves quick. He has everything you need in a left tackle, but he just gotta get the old mentals right. If he can get those right, they’ll have a very, very good offensive line this year.”
If Jones can solidify left tackle, and Fautanu can deliver on the promise he’s shown in offseason workouts wowing the media in the process, the Steelers should have a very good offensive line, one that will be able to run the football and open up lanes for rookie Kaleb Johnson, Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell on the ground, while also being able to protect Aaron Rodgers in the passing game, allowing him to hopefully carve up defenses and keep the Steelers’ offense on track.
